Japanese Titanic
Covert
Hi again all,
Following is another Japanese newspaper's take on the recently released
Education Ministry report here in Japan.
It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic: Ministry officials are
quibbling over cutting class sizes by 10 students -- as public schools
nationwide are hemorrhaging their students by the hundreds (and possibly
thousands) every year.
The ministry's stance is akin to asking passengers and crew members to
use their fingers to plug up a small leak in the Titanic.
And the dance band plays on, as the ship goes down....
Brian Covert
(KnoK NEWS)
in Osaka, Japan
---------------------------------
[Asahi Evening News - Saturday, 20 May 2000]
Ministry seeks smaller class sizes
An Education Ministry panel report released Friday is giving local
government school boards more flexibility to consider establishing
smaller-sized classrooms.
The panel, which had been considering the appropriate size of classrooms,
is reviewing the current legal maximum number of students for each class.
It is also exploring ways to better distribute teachers at public
elementary and junior high schools.
The panel also said local governments should split up classes in certain
subjects so teachers can teach students with similar aptitude.
Ministry officials plan to amend legislation relating to classroom
population so that smaller-sized classes can begin in fiscal 2001.
The ministry has no intention of reducing the number of teachers,
although a budget cut is under way at most ministries ahead of
reorganization plans slated for next year.
After calculating the required number of teachers based on a 40-student
classroom, the ministry presently grants local governments financial
subsidies that cover half the personnel cost of teachers.
The ministry said it will keep this cost calculation, so local
governments will have to bear increasing personnel costs if they hire
more teachers to create smaller classes, the officials said.
Because the program requires a cost increase for more teachers, local
governments are not expected to adopt the idea anytime soon.
The panel had considered scrapping the current legal limit of 40 students
in a class and to establish a new maximum of 30. However, it gave up the
idea because the panel thought 30 students or more are needed for them to
learn social rules.
The trial calculation by the ministry showed a 30-student class will
require 120,000 more teachers and a budget increase of about a 1 trillion
yen.
The panel also sought to review a long-standing idea that students of the
classroom always receive lessons together.
The panel said class size should be limited to about 20 students when
teaching Japanese, arithmetic and science to elementary school students.
The panel also suggests the same number of students be taught in English
language, mathematics and science classes at junior high schools.
[copyright - Asahi Shimbun, 2000]
Following is another Japanese newspaper's take on the recently released
Education Ministry report here in Japan.
It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic: Ministry officials are
quibbling over cutting class sizes by 10 students -- as public schools
nationwide are hemorrhaging their students by the hundreds (and possibly
thousands) every year.
The ministry's stance is akin to asking passengers and crew members to
use their fingers to plug up a small leak in the Titanic.
And the dance band plays on, as the ship goes down....
Brian Covert
(KnoK NEWS)
in Osaka, Japan
---------------------------------
[Asahi Evening News - Saturday, 20 May 2000]
Ministry seeks smaller class sizes
An Education Ministry panel report released Friday is giving local
government school boards more flexibility to consider establishing
smaller-sized classrooms.
The panel, which had been considering the appropriate size of classrooms,
is reviewing the current legal maximum number of students for each class.
It is also exploring ways to better distribute teachers at public
elementary and junior high schools.
The panel also said local governments should split up classes in certain
subjects so teachers can teach students with similar aptitude.
Ministry officials plan to amend legislation relating to classroom
population so that smaller-sized classes can begin in fiscal 2001.
The ministry has no intention of reducing the number of teachers,
although a budget cut is under way at most ministries ahead of
reorganization plans slated for next year.
After calculating the required number of teachers based on a 40-student
classroom, the ministry presently grants local governments financial
subsidies that cover half the personnel cost of teachers.
The ministry said it will keep this cost calculation, so local
governments will have to bear increasing personnel costs if they hire
more teachers to create smaller classes, the officials said.
Because the program requires a cost increase for more teachers, local
governments are not expected to adopt the idea anytime soon.
The panel had considered scrapping the current legal limit of 40 students
in a class and to establish a new maximum of 30. However, it gave up the
idea because the panel thought 30 students or more are needed for them to
learn social rules.
The trial calculation by the ministry showed a 30-student class will
require 120,000 more teachers and a budget increase of about a 1 trillion
yen.
The panel also sought to review a long-standing idea that students of the
classroom always receive lessons together.
The panel said class size should be limited to about 20 students when
teaching Japanese, arithmetic and science to elementary school students.
The panel also suggests the same number of students be taught in English
language, mathematics and science classes at junior high schools.
[copyright - Asahi Shimbun, 2000]